This is lesson 1 of 8 which will tell how any boy can make a complete model airplane
which will fly under its own power. 'Warren DeLancey, writer of the articles, was formerly
president of the Illinois Model Aero Club, a group of boys who build and fly their own
models and who hold nine of the ten world's records for model airplane flying. Clip these
articles until you have the complete set, including the directions for flying your machine.

There's a thrill that comes with seeing a model airplane
that you have made yourself rise from the ground and go circling off through space. Such
a model isn't much harder to make than a kite, and is many times more interesting to
work with. You also learn a lot about the principles or flying. Many or the famous pilots
and men in aeronautics today were building and, flying models but a few years ago. Maybe
you've been reading about the wonderful flights made in Europe with motorless planes.
Well, the idea for such flights came from the study of model airplanes flying.

With a few simple tools and materials, most of which can be found around the house,
you can make a model that will fly several hundred feet. Boys in our Model Aero club
'have made some that go a mile.

Models Consist of Three Parts

A model must have three parts: the propeller, the main plane, which lifts the weight,
and the small plane in the rear which keeps the model straight and level.

The propeller placed in front, and on small models is turned by rubber. As it goes
about it pulls the model through the air. Between the propeller and the small flat plane
at the rear the main wing is placed. This, the front plane, is always fixed so that it
strikes the air at an angle which gives the lifting force to the machine. It the model
starts to dive, this lift increases with the speed, bringing the front up and stopping
the fall.

Main Plane is "V" Shape

The main plane has its tips above its center also; that is, it has a slight "V" shape
which keeps the model from turning over sideways in the air. Behind the main wing is
the flat rear plane and also the upright rudder. The flat plane is to stop the machine
from turning over sideways, and the rudder is to make the model fly straight.

These are the only parts necessary on the simple "tractor" model. A stick is used
for the body of the airplane, on which the rubber stretched, The propeller Is at­tached
to one end of this stick and the rear plane and rudder to the other. The main plane is
"behind the propeller in the middle of the stick.